Bag-frame hinge



Nav. 1'1 T924 Files Nov. 3, 1923 1'0"' f3 f7 .3127 21 2@ l 33 6 4l 17 22 IIIIIIIIIIIIII if i? TTM n 4INVENTOR @Een ATTORNEY i Patented Nov. 11 1924.

UNITED STATES yPATENT OFFICE.y

WILLIAM A. Lorz, or NEWAELEEW Jnns'rur,` AssIeNoE rro TEE T a UI. co., Inc., or NEWARK, NEW'JEESEY, A coEroEArIoN or NEW JERSEY. y I

EAG-FRAME HINGE Application filed yNovember 3, 1923. Serial No. 672,519.

Tio all whom t may concern.'

`Be` it known that I, WILLIAM A. LOTZ, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofNewark, in the county of Essex and State of" New `Jerse have invented certain new and usefull provements in` Bag-Frame ges, of which thev following is a specification.` n v n Y u Thisv invention relates to improvements in bag frame hinges and particularly to such types of bags as have frames 'of inverted shape, consisting of a central, normally horizontal element having right angled pendant integral elements extending downward at the ends of the bag and pivotally joined at their extremities to form pairs.l

Bags particularly when their contents is heavy, are held open with diilicultywhen suspended by their handles, attached ordinarilyto the horizontal cross element, the side elements acting in the manner of levers, tending 'to close the frames inward or towards each other, a condition morel pronounced as the weight of the contents is increased. The main object of the invention is therefore, to provide a device incorporated in the hinge structure, which acts -to retain the frame whenin a fully opened positionper mitting free and unimpeded access tozthe interior of the bag. f l

Another purpose is to produce means forA holding a bag fully open, that are positive in action, relatively inexpensive to construct and which are entirely concealed from lob'- servation when applied.

A further aim is in the provision of controlled hinge capable of general sprin extended use whenever such structure is desirable. These several aims, objects and purposes are accomplished by the novel design, con-Y struction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described vand shown in the accompanyin drawing, formlnga material part` of this isclosure, and in which Figure 1 is a side elevational viewl of an embodiment of the invention, showing the hinge elements extended outwardly'and indicating its application.

Fi re 2 is a plan view of the same rlookom the inner sidethereof.

at an angle of ninety degrees.

provided with such types of frames,`

' lugs being so proportioned as to receivebe- `Figure 4 is a general perspective view,

usual outer l'ianged or channelelements 12 v and 13 respectively. z yThe hinge members 14 and 15 are distinct entities, the Iformer'bei'ng'composed of a liat plate 16, here shown as having a rounded outer end, and bent by'ordinary press 'methods to present outstanding, parallel side flanges 17, extending from a point midway in its length to blend into semi-circular 111%5118.- c aid lugs contain circular concentric 'openings 19, the centers of whichare substantially in the plane of the inner end of the plate` 16 and in registration.

The plate 16 is provided with one or more openings 20- to receive rivets or likefast'em ing means by which it may be firmly secured to the frame element' 12 in a mannerA well extend angularlyv rearward on' the plate 16,

at a point remote from the' clip 21, the pur-' poses of which will 4later appear.

A The opposite adjoining hinge element 15 is constructed in ya like manner and consists of a plate 25 having raisedsides 26 blending: into .semi-circular lugs 27, Vthese `sides and tween them the corresponding lugs and sides. 17 and 18`of the mating member. Theplate 25 is provided' with openings'28 to recelve securing means, as 'before described and in the lugs 27 rare formed arcuate slots 29, concentric. lwith the outer curved'edge Vof the lugs, the outer edges'of; the slots being 'of the Asame radius as the openings 19 in the'r mating hinge member.

The pivot 30 on which these members turn,

-Shown in detail in Fig. 4 consists 'of a tubuin lar section or'sheet of metal Arolled to pass Figure Slis a side elevational view of the hinge, showing the main elements disposed through the opening 19 and have its ends 'ine of the projection 23 and is thus held fast to the plate 16, and the raised, active element of the spring, normally yparallel with the base, forcibly .abuts the edges 320i the pivot in such manner that when the elements 14 and 15 are extended at length, as shown in Figure 1, the ower of the spring will be exerted to retain these elements in a spread or IpIpen position as will be obvious.

owever when force is exerted toy close the bag vframe sides, the spring element 35 rides easily over the curved surface of the pivot. Y

Inv the modification, shown in Figure 5, the construction is identical except thatthe sides 27 are pierced to present avrectangular openin 40, having rounded ends and disposed in the plane of the plate 25 and a pivot in. 4l viattened on its opposite sides 42 and) 43 inserted therein in place of the f arcuate` slot and curved pivot 30.

This construction utilizes the force of the spring not ony to hold the frame sides extended but closed as well, the spring element 35 bearing, in either case, upon the opposite sides of the flattened pin in a manner which will be clearly understood.

Iti'is to be noted that the cross section of the pivots may vary from that shown, as for instance taking the form of a solid semiy circle or other shape in which at leastvone flat surface is produced, and it may be furthernoted that the projection 23 not only keeps the spring in proper operative position, but acts asa fulcrum on whichthe bent l -or angular portion 34 may move inthe manyner of a lever when the spring is stressed.

While certain preferred embodiments of this'devicehave been shown and described, it will be understood that changes in the foim, arrangements, proportions, sizes andl details thereof may beinade without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined inthe appended claims.

`Having thus described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l l. Ba frame hinges comprising chan nelled e ements secured to the ends of the. frames, said elements being engaged in paired relation, a pivot fixed in one member of each pair of elements and rotatable in the other member, said pivot having at least end disposed to make contact witli'the fiattened surface of said pvot.

2. Bag frame hinges comprising channelled elements secured to the ends of the frames, one of said elements embracing the sides of the other at their points of Contact, the wider containing arcuate slots in its' side members and the other element having circular openings in their side members registering with the mentioned slots, a pivot shaped to rotate in the circular openings and rigidly engaged at its ends in the mentioned slots, said pivot presentino* a substantially flat face parallel With the body of the wider element of the hinge, and a flat spring secured to the narrow member, said spring being bent vto engage the fiat face of said pivot when said hinge elements are extended.

3. Bag frame hinges comprising channelled elements secured to the ends of the frames, the sides of each element projecting at their inner ends, one embracing the other, the narrower projecting end having a` circular opening, a pivot pin rotatable in the Lmentioned opening, said pin being ixed at its ends= in the adjacent wider side members and having lone or more fiat surfaces,

and a bent fiat spring in the narrower ele-` -ing at their kinner ends, o ne embracing the other, the narrower projecting end ,having a eireularfopening, a. pivot Apin mtatabrn the .mentioned opening, said pin being xed at its ends in the adjacent wider side memf bers and having one or more flat surfaces, a.k bentffiat spring seated in the narrower members between the sides thereof, said spring impinging upon the surfaces of said pivot pin, and means integral with said narrower element for maintaining said spring in operative positions. Y i

5. Bag frame hinges comprising channelled elements secured to tlieends of thel frames, the sides of each element project- `ving at their inner ends, one embracing the other, the narrower projecting end having a cii'cularopening, a pivot pin rotatable in at its yendsinthe kadjacent wider side meni- Ibers and having one or moreiat surfaces` v.the mentioned opening, said pin being fixed and side walls of the narrow element for holdingr said spring in position, and a projection on the base of the last named element abutting the bent portion of said 5 spring preventing longitudinal movement thereof and acting as a fulcrum on which the spring operates.

This specification siied and witnessed this first day of Novem r, 1923.

WILLIAM A. LOTZ.

Witnesses: FREDK C. FISCHER, FERDINAND HALL. 

